


Bad Moon Rising

by blackmariahlee



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Cecil Has Abandonment Issues, Gen, I'm a little behind, M/M, Mentions of Earl Harlan, Mentions of Intern Dana, Post-Episode 23: Eternal Scouts, Pre-Relationship, Thus no mentions of Cecil's other family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-10
Updated: 2014-04-10
Packaged: 2018-01-18 20:43:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1442191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackmariahlee/pseuds/blackmariahlee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Carlos decides to talk a midnight stroll to clear his mind. And ends up finding a slightly intoxicated radio host instead.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bad Moon Rising

**Author's Note:**

> So...I'd been trying to write this for centuries and finally just knocked it out in about half an hour. I just really love the idea of Cecil having some abandonment issues.

     Carlos sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair as he leaned back from the microscope. It was late. Well past midnight. And he realized he hadn’t eaten dinner. Or lunch. Come to think of it, had he eaten breakfast? He must have eaten at some point today. But perhaps it was time to call it a day. Everyone else had. Hours ago. The scientist glanced up at the radio. Whatever had come on after the news was over now. And it was just emitting a low static. He stood and switched it off before putting a lid on the sample, not that those seemed to help much in keeping the samples, you know, IN the petri dish. He looked at the clock again. Not that those were ever right. Shaking his head, he looked at his wrist watch instead. 12:34.

     He wasn’t particularly tired. Not just yet. Maybe a quick walk would help him clear his mind of the day’s events. Help him get to sleep. It certainly couldn’t hurt. At least he didn’t think it could. He didn’t remember any city ordinances that forbade him to take a walk at certain hours. Sure he’d have to avoid the gaze of any hooded figures, but what the heck. Carlos had lasted this long in Night Vale. The scientist grabbed his keys and headed for the door. Just a quick walk. Maybe check by the dog park. You know…that doesn’t exist. See if Intern Dana needed any food.

     It was actually fairly nice outside. Carlos did enjoy the summer nights in the desert. After the sun goes down, usually at the wrong time, and it would cool down to a mere 80 degrees instead of the usual 90 something or even 100. The sky was mostly void, partially stars tonight. A few clouds. Luckily none of them were glowing or dropping animal carcasses on him. He couldn’t wait for the summer monsoons. A lot more clouds, a lot less void. And less stumbling cute radio hosts? 

     “Cecil?” Carlos paused in his walk and tilted his head. That definitely looked like Cecil. But it was late. And he didn’t remember any recent sandstorms.

     “Carlos!” Cecil exclaimed. “How lovely to see you. Have there always been two of you? Is there a sandstorm coming?” Carlos tried not to think about how funny it was. That they had both thought of the sandstorm.

     “I’m fairly certain there is only one of me, Cecil. What are you doing out here?” Carlos moved forward and spotted the bottle hanging loosely from Cecil’s right hand. 

     “Oh, well…you know. Long day. Drink to forget and all that.” Cecil shrugged and took a drink from the bottle. 

     “Is that…a bottle of whiskey?” 

     “Very technically it’s half a bottle of whiskey. Honestly, Carlos, as a scientist shouldn’t you be more…be more…oh what is that word? …Precise! Yes. Be more precise.” 

     “Cecil, you are drunk.” 

     “I most certainly amn’t. Aren’t. I’m not. Really, this is nothing. You should have seen the Great Break-Up of 2010. That was tequila. Never again.” 

     “Come on. I think maybe we should get you home. You can sleep this off.” Carlos moved to take the bottle from Cecil with one hand and put his other arm around his shoulder. 

     “I don’t want to sleep it off!” Cecil stumbled back from Carlos. “I’m forgetting, remember?” 

     “What do you need to forget so badly anyway?” 

     “Don’t you ever listen to my show? Didn’t you hear? He’s gone! He’s left!” Some whiskey sloshed out of the bottle as Cecil gestured a bit wildly. “He’s in a different plane of existence and I’m here!” 

     “…This is about Earl Harlan?” Carlos crossed his arms. He would never admit to feeling a bit jealous at Earl’s last words. ‘We could have had something.’ But Cecil didn’t want anything with Earl. He wanted something with Carlos. Didn’t he? Of course, Carlos couldn’t blame Cecil for maybe…not wanting anything with him anymore. He was the most evasive scientist. And that was only the 56th thing a scientist was. 

     “Earl Harlan. Pah. Earl the idiot. Shoulda known better.” Cecil scrubbed his free hand down his face. “But he’s gone. Just like everyone else. First my mother, and then Dana. I actually liked Dana! And now Earl! Everyone leaves me, Carlos!” 

     “…I’m still here.” The scientist offered quietly. Cecil gave him a strange look then. 

     “You’re here now. But for how much longer? How much longer before you disappear? Or get trapped in an unmentionable municipal park? Or transported to another dimension by creepy children? Or…or…you just…get up and leave!” Cecil sounded like he was near tears and Carlos didn’t know what to do. Sure, he and Cecil had managed to become friends. Not the closest of friends. But they talked. They were friendly. Carlos often found himself thinking about Cecil in a less than friendly manner. In more of, ‘slam him up against the wall and kiss him breathless until his knees are weak’ sort of manner. But they weren’t that. 

     “Well…I mean, scientifically speaking I can’t promise that none of those things will happen.” Carlos sighed and Cecil choked back a sob. “B-But, none of those things have happened to me yet. Or…are happening now. And I mean, shouldn’t we really live in the present and n-not the future? Or the past?” 

     “…I suppose you have a point there.” Cecil shrugged and looked away from the scientist, wiping his sleeve across his eyes. “I’m just…Everyone leaves me. I’m tired of being alone, Carlos.” 

     “But you’re not alone. Everyone here loves you! Old Woman Josie, Erika, Erika, and Erika, Teddy Williams, your revolving door of interns, John Peters, Hiram McDaniels. No matter who leaves, you’ll never be alone. Not really.” 

     “…Thank you, Carlos. T-That means a lot to me. Coming from you.” 

     “You’re welcome. Now, why don’t you hand over that bottle and we’ll get you home and into bed, huh?” 

     “Now, Carlos, don’t make promises you can’t keep.” Cecil winked and Carlos cleared his throat. 

     “R-Right…well, I mean. You’ll get into bed and I’ll…go home and…” 

     “Oh relax, you perfect scientist you. I’m only teasing. I am drunk and emotionally unstable. I certainly hope someone as perfect as you wouldn’t take advantage of my vulnerable state like that.” Cecil handed Carlos the bottle of whiskey and started back toward his apartment. 

     “Of course not.” Tempting as it might be. Cecil was really pretty attractive. You know, aside from that third eye and the tattoos that changed color. But Carlos had come to find those attractive as well. And he was really nice and friendly and funny when he stopped stammering and stuttering. And he had been so helpful to Carlos. He ran a hand through his hair. Maybe it was time to think about staying in Night Vale long term. Or…the implications of staying in Night Vale. Maybe it was time to revisit the folder he had placed Cecil in. Move him from “Not Personal Reasons” to “Personal Reasons”. Maybe it was time to stop hiding behind science and grant money and every other lame excuse and start doing something more with his life. Carlos smiled as he watched Cecil stumble for a bit before walking up beside him and putting an arm around his shoulder. 

     “Thanks, Carlos.” Cecil smiled up at him.  
     “Any time, Cecil.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Any feedback (good or bad) is appreciated. I just really love this fandom and decided I wanted to be more active in it. And I can't draw for crap, so. I'm going to try and write more for it. So critiques and criticism would be welcome!


End file.
